1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an answering terminal for use in answering a question and an answer counting system for counting answers. More specifically, the present invention relates to an answering terminal and an answer counting system for use in a question-and-answer session between one questioner and a multiplicity of answerers.
2. Related Art
A question-and-answer session method, in a public speaking situation, such as an academic presentation, seminar, lecture at university, business presentation, workshop or meeting, is known in which a multiplicity of answerers, such as participants answer a question from one questioner as a speaker by, for example, raising their hands. In this case, the questioner predicts the possible types of answers and presents a plurality of answer options to the answerers. Then, the questioner presents the options one by one to the answerers and asks them to raise a hand to show which one of the plurality of options presented by questioner is right for them in order to obtain answers from many answerers. On the other hand, when a question is asked to more answerers, a method is known in which a question-and-answer session is held using answering terminals, called counter (or totalizer), for example, handed out to all the answerers in advance in order to count the number of answers precisely. The answering terminals, called counters, has an answering button for use in counting the answers, and the answerers can make an answer by pressing the answering button of the counter instead of raising a hand. The answers from the answerers are counted by an answer counting system, and the result of counting the answers is displayed on a display device or the like. In addition, a question-and-answer session method is also known in which counters having a plurality of answering buttons corresponding in number to answer options are used and the questioner asks the answerers to press one of the answering buttons corresponding to their choice. The counters (or totalizers) are widely used in a question-and-answer session in a recital, concert, TV discussion program, entertainment program or the like for the purpose of carrying out a survey among a multiplicity of people.
Similarly, device and method for carrying out a survey among a multiplicity of answerers via an information communication network, such as the Internet, are known (for example, Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 discloses an answering terminal, an answer counting system and an answer counting method with which a multiplicity of answerers can be identified and a survey can be carried out via an information communication network, such as the Internet.
[Patent Document 1] JP-B2-P4321935 (e.g. refer to claim 1 and FIG. 4)
However, when answerers make an answer with an answering terminal, such as a counter, so that the number of answers can be counted correctly, the question-and-answer session may be disturbed because the answerers have to look away from the questioner and visually recognize the answer buttons to press one of a plurality of answering buttons on the answering terminals they are holding and operating. In addition, in a conventional survey method using an information communication network, such as the Internet, the answerers have to make an operation of selecting one of a plurality of options presented by the questioner by operating the answering terminal at each question. In addition, because the answerers have to make a final input operation to finalize the selected option and input it as an answer at each question, the conventional survey method poses a large burden on the answerers. The present invention has been made in view of these problems, and it is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an answering terminal and an answer counting system, and a question-and-answer session method using the answering terminals which do not force the answerers to operate a complicated answering terminal when one questioner and a multiplicity of answerers have a question-and-answer session.